Auburn guard unit arrives home

Dennis Nett / The Post-StandardFirefighters from Skaneateles and Mottville salute the returning Nation Guard troops as they pass through Skaneateles, on their way to Auburn. See the Coming Home photo gallery

From Wednesday's Post-Standard:

Troops return; 'I look out, and I see faces I know'

By John Stith and Pam Lundborg 

Staff writers 

Sgt. Peter Day of the 222nd Military Police Company was moved by the turnout Tuesday afternoon as his bus pulled into the state armory in Auburn.

Day and the other 31 members of the National Guard unit spent the past year in Iraq and endured a final six hours Tuesday riding from Fort Dix, N.J., through a miserable rainstorm back to Auburn.

"I had tears in my eyes," Day said, "as soon as we got to the outskirts of Auburn, and I saw people on the side of the road. To see the firetrucks and everybody out."

Members of the New York National Guard 222nd Military Police Company return from their tour of duty in Iraq. Residents along U.S. Route 20 and Auburn's South Street stood in the rain to welcome them home. (1:48)

People stood in the rain -- in groups of two or three -- on Genesee Street in Skaneateles and along Genesee and South streets in Auburn to welcome home members of the 222nd.

"I look out, and I see faces I know," he said. "I see people from my hometown. A lot of these guys (other soldiers in the unit) aren't from Auburn. It's my home."

As the bus passed through Skaneateles, members of the unit got a hint of what was waiting for them in Auburn.

About a dozen people gathered on East Genesee Street in the village to welcome the bus. Many downtown businesses placed welcome home signs in their windows.

"Even though I don't like the war, I appreciate what they are doing for our country," said Brenda Block, owner of Orchard Originals on East Genesee Street.

Block hung signs and banners in the windows of her shop.

Four firetrucks waited by the Sherwood Inn for the bus, and small clusters of onlookers peeked out windows to see.

At 3:15 p.m., the bus rolled through. It was escorted by two Skaneateles police cars.

Although planning for the welcome had gone on for about a week, the chamber of commerce had only about five minutes notice before the bus passed through town.

In Auburn, yellow ribbons were tied to every utility pole along the Route 20-to-South Street route the bus followed back to the state armory they had left 14 months earlier. American flags flapped in the rain.

Knots of people huddled close together as they waited to cheer as the bus pass by. No one seemed to care about the weather.

Dozens of people gathered outside City Hall on South Street, where city firefighters had draped a large American flag from crossed aerial ladders. The bus passed beneath the flag on the way to the armory.

A steady rain fell as Penny Seidel, of Auburn, passed through the crowd handing out American flags.

"It's the least I could do," she said.

At the armory, the bus passed under another American flag, this one suspended from two New York State Electric and Gas bucket trucks.

In the gym inside, hundreds of family and friends waited, signs in hand. Just after 3:30 p.m., the 222nd marched in, led by 1st Lt. Monique Barnhart. The ceremony was short.

The National Guard's 222nd left Auburn in August 2006. They spent a year training Iraqi police.

Fourteen months later, the 222nd is back home. The unit arrived Thursday at Fort Dix for five days of processing and paperwork before the ride home.

No one in the unit was killed during the tour in Iraq, but several suffered wounds in mortar and roadside bomb attacks.

Tuesday morning, backpacks and duffel bags were stacked by the curb at 7 a.m. Three hours later the unit was on the road.

After the unit was dismissed, Sgt. Brandon Goldsberry, of Trumansburg, collected his gear. His wife, Evelyn, and 2-year-old son, Maddox, were waiting to leave.

How did it feel to be back?

"Pretty good,' Goldsberry said.

Goldsberry was about to leave the armory in style. As a surprise, his in-laws bought the returning Guardsman a new pickup. It was in the armory parking lot. 

To reach John Stith, e-mail him at jstith@syracuse.com or call 253-7316.To reach Pam Lundborg, e-mail her at plundborg@syracuse.com or call 470-3033. 

Previous coverage:

Tuesday's return of the Auburn-based New York National Guard 222nd Military Police Company, as reported by staff writer Pam Lundborg:

The 31 returning soldiers, aboard one bus, came through Skaneateles about 3:15 p.m. They had started the day at Fort Dix, N.J.

In Skaneateles, a few dozen well-wishers braved the rain and cheered the soldiers as the bus rolled down Route 20. Village shops were plastered with "Welcome Home" signs.

The soldiers bus was escorted through Skaneateles by village police and fire vehicles.

In Auburn, people also stood in the pouring rain this afternoon to welcome the soldiers home.

Sgt. Peter Day of Auburn, who along with 31 other members of the company returned home after a tour of duty in Iraq, said seeing the community turn out was great.

"I can't tell you enough," Day said after the company arrived in Auburn. "I had tears in my eyes. As soon as we got to the outskirts of Auburn, and I saw people on the side of the road."

The National Guard's 222nd left Auburn in August 2006.They spent a year working with Iraqi police and escorting convoys. No one in the unit was killed, but several suffered wounds in motor and roadside bomb attacks.

Sgt. Brandon J. Goldsberry of Trumansburg was collecting his duffle bag and gear after getting off the bus. His wife Evelyn and 2-year-old son, Maddox, were waiting to leave.

How did it feel to be back?

"Pretty good,' Goldsberry said.

Goldsberry's in-laws bought the returning Guardsman a new pickup. It was parked in the armory parking lot.

Yellow ribbons were tied to every utility pole along the Route 20-South Street route the bus followed carrying the 222nd back to the state armory, where they had left 14 months earlier. American flags flapped the rain.

Knots of people huddled close together as they waited to cheer as the bus rolled past. No one seemed to care about the weather.